Michael Donnellan won't start for Galway in Sunday's Connacht football championship clash with Roscommon at Pearse Stadium. Instead the midfielder will be among the Galway substitutes having only recently returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.
"It's not that Michael's having any problems," said manager John O'Mahony. "There was also a slight concern with his ankle this week, but the fact is he's still only coming back to full fitness."
Three players - defender Michael Comer and forwards Derry O'Brien and Michael Meehan - will all make senior championship debuts, while those are the only changes in personnel from the team that beat Roscommon in the same fixture a year ago.
Roscommon manager Tom Carr has been forced to leave two vacancies in his team until closer to throw-in time as injury problems continue to mount up. Both corner backs John Whyte and Ray Cox are carrying hamstring injuries, with Cox almost certainly ruled out, and the left corner position has been left vacant in the hope that at least Whyte will be fit for Sunday.
John Nolan has been named in the other corner for what will be his first championship start, having previously only appeared as a substitute.
The other vacancy is at left wing forward, where Nigel Dineen is expected to play provided he too passes a late fitness test on an ankle injury. In the meantime there will be two definite championship debuts in wing back Morgan Beirne and wing forward Ronan Cox.
Unavailable to Carr are defender Andrew McPadden (shoulder), midfielder Donal Casserly (hand), and forward Conor Connelly (knee), yet the former Dublin boss remains positive.
"We have put a few weeks of very good training behind us," he said, "and I'm very happy with the work rate and the commitment of the players. It's just a matter of trying to repeat that now on the playing field."
In hurling, Antrim manager Dinny Cahill has made couple of changes for Sunday's Ulster semi-final against Down at Casement Park. Gone from the side that humiliated London last weekend is defender Michael Heron and forward Jody Boyle, with their places instead going to Kieran Kelly and Liam Richmond.
Kerry, meanwhile, will learn later today if the Games Administration Committee has agreed to postpone Sunday's All-Ireland preliminary qualifier against Westmeath. Manager Maurice Leahy had requested another fortnight as several of his players were facing exams in addition to the team being in action for the past four successive weekends.
GALWAY (SF v Roscommon): A Keane; M Comer, G Fahey, R Fahey; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, S De Paor; K Walsh, J Bergin; P Clancy, M Clancy, D O'Brien; D Savage, P Joyce, M Meehan.
ROSCOMMON (SF v Galway): S Curran; J Nolan, D Casey, AN Other; M Beirne, F Grehan, P Noone; S O'Neill, S Lohan; R Cox, G Cox, AN Other; F Dolan, G Lohan, J Dunning.
ANTRIM (SH v Down): D Quinn; M Kettle, K Kelly, J Campbell; M McCambridge, K McKeegan, C Herron; C Cunning, J Connolly; P Richmond, C McGuckian, L Richmond; G O'Kane, A Mort, B McFall.
